Hokage Theater Presents
by Brandon Rice
Summary: Team Hokage has been so busy training that they slacked off on homework. Now they can either put on a play for the school; or fail class. Fuuko and Mikagami have to kiss on stage, Domon is jealous, and Ganko gets a crush.
1. Hokage's Problem, Tatesako's Idea

**Hokage Theater Presents**

**By**

**Brandon Rice**

**Rated**: PG-13, because this story contains the same level of profanity as the Mangas, and some violence later on.

**Summary**: Team Hokage has been so busy training that they slacked off on homework. Now they can either put on a play for the school; or fail class. Fuuko and Mikagami have to kiss on stage, Domon is jealous, and Ganko gets a crush.

**Disclaimer**: FLAME OF RECCA and all of its characters belong to Nobuyuki Anzai, Shogakukan, Inc. and Viz, LLC. None of it is mine: EXCEPT for the plot of this story and of the play they put on.

**Author's Rant**: Yo. Okay, first I should inform you all that I'm not using the Japanese suffixes in this story. I usually like to, but since I don't know them, I'm not doing it. Unless someone will be nice enough to provide me with a complete list of what everyone calls each other suffix-wise, then I will use them. I'm also gonna let you all know I've only read the first six mangas of FOR. I'm not sure what episodes those translate into in the anime, but the last thing I was able to read was when Mikagami was about to fight the creepy wood guy who ate Kaoru in the tournament. Anyway, if I make some mistakes, please NICELY tell me and I'll fix it. Flames don't do crap, since I'll just ignore them and that means you waste your time and my story doesn't improve at all. Anyway, I'm ranting on too much, so I'll shuddap and let you read; if you aren't asleep by now.

Oh. And my grammar and spelling isn't top notch, so if anyone can **beta**, I'd appreciate it. Email me. Caribbeancowboy9 (remove the space, obviously)

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**Chapter One**: _Hokage's Problem, Tatesako's Idea._

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

"Kurenai, burn them to death!"

Recca dove as the discharge of heat smashed into the ground beside him. The angel of fire's breath was particularly hot today, and Recca was as infuriated with his brother as he ever was.

The room itself was black. Everything was black. The floor, walls and ceiling: all black. In fact, it was almost impossible to tell the difference between up and down and all around. Of course they had perfect sight of their target. It was hard to overlook Kurei when he had a giant, nude winged-woman made of fire floating above his head spitting fireballs all around the room. Recca was running down the edge of the room near the far right wall, flames exploding behind him as Kurenai's flames danced very close to his back.

"I want to smell the flesh burn off their bones!" Kurei screeched, rather madly.

"Yo' mama must have been one crazy bitch to make you." Domon pointed out as he ran down the length of the room, the Kuchibashio on his hand and ready to be thrown. Kurei didn't even blink. The beak flew right at him, and Kurei's fingers snatched the side of it and gave it a tug. Domon went flying across the room with a girly scream (Fuuko snickered) and wound up being impaled right on the end of the Fire-User's fist. Domon hit the ground and Kurei stepped over him as if he were just a large rock.

Whilst Recca was engaged in an exchange-of-fire with Kurenai, Kurei was walking slowly across the room towards the spot where Yanagi sat, clutching her leg (which was covered in a red liquid) and biting her bottom lip. Almost at once two people launched an attack at the insane 420 year old Ninja. One of them was the feminine but powerful Tokiya Mikagami; and the other was the young but equally skilled Kaoru Koganei. However, both the Ensui and Kogon Ankin were blocked by Kurei's bare hands and their wielders were thrown around until they collided into one another's heads and fell to the ground.

Kurei's fingers reached out, and even as Fuuko launched a gust of wind from the Fuujin, Kurei's index finger touched Yanagi's forehead. In an instant there was a flash of light and the black that had covered the room melted away. It was replaced by the Shuriken and Katana covered walls of the Hokage villa that Kagero had taken them to before when she first revealed Recca's past to him. Kurenai vanished with it, and Kurei was transformed instantly into Kagero herself; Recca's mother.

"I swear you do this just to aggravate me." Kagero snapped as she spun around to her son, who was plopped against his bed.

"Does the combat have to be real?" Domon asked as he shuffled to his feet, still clutching his stomach. Yanagi stood up and brought her red-liquid covered hand to her lips. She licked at the sugary substance (it was dyed maple-syrup, not blood) and Kagero sighed and leaned against the wall. Mikagami and Kaoru had woken up and were both rubbing their sore heads. "Yes it has to be real." Kagero responded at once. "You think Kurei is going to use fake punches on you?" 

"I think you did much better!" Yanagi chimed in using a singsong voice.

"Thanks Princess!" Recca responded, grinning broadly. "You still failed." Kagehoshi snapped, and her son's smile vanished. 

Kagero had recently discovered an old Hokage Madogu used for training young Ninjas. It could copy any battle remembered in someone's mind and reproduce it in an illusionary world. In this instance, Kagero used the Madogu to transform the villa into Kurei's now-destroyed mansion, and herself into Kurei. They were reproducing Recca's first battle with his half-brother and his angel of flame. However, unlike the first time, they hadn't won once in two months. The object of this little training program was for Recca and the gang to attack "Kurei" as he crossed the room to where Yanagi sat. So far they hadn't beaten him once.

"We haven't made any progress." Mikagami's rather depressed voice spoke up. "And the real Kurei has probably trained himself stronger by now."

"Gee, thanks for those encouraging words." Fuuko spat.

"I'm merely being honest." Mikagami replied coldly.

"Enough!" Kagero spoke in a quiet voice, but it was very stern. "You all run along to school, you're late again."  
  
"Whose fault is that?" Kaoru asked bitterly.

----

Not long later, now changed into their school uniforms, Recca, Domon, Fuuko, Mikagami and Yanagi wound up in the main entrance hallway of their high school. The five of them were chatting quietly, mostly conversing about Kagero's new training program and their likes and dislikes of it. The latter very much outweighed the former.  
  
"Recca, I think your mom broke my ribs." Domon whined as he rubbed his stomach for the fifth time since the training program.

"That's what you get for being a idiot." Fuuko responded with a yawn. "She sure doesn't go easy on us." Recca added.  
  
"Oh, and I suppose Kurei will?" Mikagami's venomous sarcasm came quickly, for he was in a very bad mood from the outcome of the fight. He hated losing battles. Period. "She was right when she said Kurei will be even worse." 

"Yeah I guess." Recca responded. "But once I get all eight Dragons we can beat him for sure!"

"Don't count on it." Mikagami responded, once again killing the mirth in Recca's tone. "Kurei won't lose without one hell of a fight. Even if we know we can kill him, we have to make sure we don't die doing it."

Recca looked as if he was going to respond to the water-swordsman's words, when a sharp voice filled all of their ears as it cried out Recca's last name. The five of them turned to see their principal standing behind them. Everyone and their mother knew that the principal's dislike of Recca was matched only by Recca's dislike of him.

"What?" Recca asked rudely.  
  
"Good news." The Principal responded. "You're all being thrown out of school!" 

Several sweatdrops were formed and many eyes twitched as well. The Principal's mouth twitch too; but it was twitching from his attempts to keep from smiling.

"What!?" Recca shouted, aghast.

"All of us?" Mikagami's eyebrow rose. "I get a 'A' on every assignment I do." 

"Indeed Mikagami." The Principal responded. "But you, as well as all of your friends, haven't done a single shred of homework in two months. All those zeros have lowered your grades low enough for me to expel you all. Well, Sakoshita and Mikagami have D's, so they can stay. But Hanabishi, Kirisawa, and Ishijima are already D students. You're gone Recca!"

_We're been busy training_. Fuuko thought to herself. _Besides, homework blows._

"Wait!"  
  
As if on cue, Mr. Tatesako had appeared from the hallway. Mr. Tatesako was Recca's history teacher and the only person more-obsessed with Ninjas than Recca himself. The Principal's eye twitched as Tatesako arrived and bent down and began to pant as if he had run a long way in a short time; which he had. Finally, Tatesako rose and pushed a stack of papers into the Principal's hands.

"These are all of Hanabishi's assignments in my class. He did them all, and he got A's on all of them!"  
  
Recca sweatdropped. He had not done any such thing; but it looked like Tatesako had covered for him. It also looked like the Principal wasn't buying it. "Tell me Mr. Tatesako." The Principal smirked. "Why are all of Recca's assignments in your handwriting?" 

A second sweatdrop rolled down Recca's cheek, and this time one fell down Tatesako's too. The Principal's look of victory only increased. He spoke again to Tatesako with a voice full of rudeness. "Come of it Tatesako. On any given day I can find you and Hanabishi in the teacher's lounge, which is against the rules, by the way, talking about Ninjas and playing with shurikens, which is also against the rules."

The Principal turned back to the Hokage team. "In two weeks the midterm report cards come out. If you haven't all got at least D's by then, I'm chucking the lot of you out on the street where you riffraff belong." With that said, the principal turned and strolled down the hallway; practically skipping in his good mood.

"Who cares?" Recca shrugged. "We'll have more time to train if—" 

Fuuko hit him first. "My parents will kill me if I'm chucked out!"

Domon was next. "My mom will make me work in that damn flower shop!" 

Mikagami was the last to smack Recca, and he also hit him the hardest of the three. "I want to go to college."

Yanagi bit her lip and then she mumbled quietly: "I don't want to get expelled . . ."

Now the hitting Recca could deal with. He was used to being smacked, kicked, punched and even occasionally bitten by Fuuko and the others for his less-than-genius moments. However as soon as his Hime began to cry, Recca became a puddle of sadness and he quickly shook his head.

"Don't cry Princess! I won't let them kick you out!" 

"Well. . ." Mr. Tatesako pondered as he rubbed his chin. "I think there may be a way out of this mess."  
  
"Like what?" Fuuko asked, leaning against the wall and yawning.  
  
"At the old school I used to teach at, one of my students used to skip class a lot. Oh he was great Recca, a real Ninja-lover, you'd love him."  
  
"We should get together sometime and have lunch!" Recca suggested happily. "I found this great new shuriken on eBay that goes great with my collection, I forgot to tell you about it –-"  
  
"HEY!" Fuuko snapped, slapping the back of Recca's head once again. "Shut up and let him finish telling us how to save our asses!"

Recca muttered something hostile under his breath, but Mikagami, Domon and Fuuko all shot him glances so brutal that he was forced to sigh, lean against the wall, and look back up at the history teacher. While it was apparent on his face that Tatesako would like nothing better than to hear all about Recca's new throwing star, he was very much afraid of Fuuko's yelling and he finished what he was originally saying.

"Anyway, my student got some friends together and put on a play. They paid for the costumes and everything out of their own pockets, and charged money for tickets. The whole school came to see it. They donated all of the money to the school, and the Principal manage to 'overlook' their bad grades."

Mikagami's eyebrow rose once more. "You mean bribe the principal not to fail us?"

Tatesako's face was covered with another nervous drop of sweat. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that! All you have to do is put on a play. The school can give you 'extra credit' for it!"

Recca beamed. "Works for me! Fuuko, you used to do plays in Elementary school!"

Fuuko shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "Yeah." 

At once, Domon spoke up. "I can play the lead with Fuuko!"

Recca's eyebrow rose. "Do you know how to act?"

Domon's turn to sweatdrop had come up, apparently. Nervous laughter was his only response.

"I used to read scripts with my sister." Mikagami said, very quietly. He also spoke in a soft, almost frail voice when the subject was his sister.  
  
"Great!" Recca clapped. "Mr. Tatesako can direct, Fuuko and Mikagami can play the leads, and I can handle special effects!"

No one really needed to ask what Recca meant by this statement, but as if to demonstrate for them anyway, he withdrew a small gray ball from his pocket, threw it into the air and set it ablaze with a quick gust of flames. The group was instantly clouded in thick gray smoke, and the second it cleared many angry fists collided with the back of the Shinobi's head.

"Oww!" Recca muttered."  
  
"Knock off the fireworks show!" Fuuko demanded.  
  
"I have a great idea." Yanagi spoke up. "I could write the script!" 

Apparently she was the only one who thought it was a great idea. They had all seen her little masterpiece, "_Firestar ReccaMan_" many, many times. And as he did whenever she showed the Hokage a new issue of her ongoing children's comic, Recca stood behind his princess and threatened the other with a flaming fist until they all expressed how _wonderful_ a idea Yanagi's had been.  
  
"Great! I'll get started!" Yanagi beamed happily.

"Who knows." Fuuko mused. "This could be fun."

"I had no clue you liked acting, Fuuko." Mikagami responded, a bit of amusement in his voice.

"And what the hell does that mean?" Fuuko snapped, showing him a large ice-pick looking device that she could throw at him if she had the whim too.  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all." Mikagami responded quietly, not intimidated in the least by the lethal-looking object. 

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**More Rant**: Yeah, I know. A tad short, and lacking in the descriptions. Forgive me. This was just a "Set up" chapter mostly. Two will feature the gang's first rehearsal. It'll be fun, I promise! Also, I added that training bit both to set up a reason for their slipping grades; AND for a small bit of action. Yes, later on I'm planning a fight between Mikagami and a rather deadly assassin of Kurei's; but that won't be till closer to the end. Oh, and as for Fuuko doing plays, well, Manga vol. 4, Part Thirty-One: Fury, Page 29-31. Fuuko, as a kid, is being picked on by some older bullies who are disrupting her rehearsal for the school play. Now if they explain that in the anime or further on in the manga and I look like an idiot for pointing this out, sorry. Like I said, only six issues for me.  
  
Anyway, if anyone wants to beta, or do that suffix list I mentioned at the beginning, please do so.  
  
Anyway, thanks for reading!


	2. What Do You Mean 'Kiss?

**Hokage Theater Presents**

**By**

**Brandon Rice**

**Disclaimer**: FLAME OF RECCA and all of its characters belong to Nobuyuki Anzai, Shogakukan, Inc. and Viz, LLC. None of it is mine: EXCEPT for the plot of this story and of the play they put on.

**Author's Rant**: WOOOO! What a great day! First I manage to get a hold of Flame of Recca, Volume 7. And then I discover four reviews on my story! Woooooooooo! I feel special. Thanks to those who reviewed (I'll give "review replies" at the end.)  
  
Now, onto chapter two!

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**Chapter Two**: _What Do You Mean 'Kiss'?_

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

"Play?"

Team Hokage was gathered together in Recca's room. Books on Ninjas, as well as every form of weapon used by the said shinobis, were covering the walls. The group of five from yesterday, Recca, Fuuko, Yanagi, Mikagami and Domon, were still gathered around in a circle. Recca and Yanagi sat on the edge of the bed, while Domon sat beside it with little Ganko Morikawa on his shoulders tugging at his nose ring as she liked to do. Kaoru was next in the circle, a puzzle cube in his hands as he solved it quietly, almost absent-mindedly as he listened to the play idea. Beside him was Fuuko, who was sipping a drink quietly. Mikagami was the last one in the circle and he looked even colder today than he did usually. Kagero stood against the door as well, listening in on the idea; Mr. Tatesako and Mr. Hanabishi were on either side of her. 

"Yeah." Recca responded. "And you two can help us with it. Princess already finished the script, right?"

Yanagi nodded vigorously. She held a stack of papers in her hands and everyone was a bit terrified by what could possibly be drawn on them. She both written out a script, and completely illustrated it with one of her comics. While Recca would make damn sure everyone pretended to like it, he hoped that his Princess had made something interesting and entertaining. After all, the audience of the actual play might laugh and be cruel to her. As her Shinobi, Recca would hunt down everyone in said audience and beat them up if they did; but that wouldn't change her hurt feelings.

"Let's see it Yanagi." Kaoru smiled happily. "Hopefully it'll be as good as usual." 

Maybe it was the crush the kid had on Yanagi, or maybe it was the fact that he was a kid and her comics were for children, but) was one of the only members of the Hokage who never needed Recca's 'persuasion' to enjoy the comics. He often complained that the story was about Recca, and not him, but that was pushed aside. Ganko enjoyed them too, but she was just a child so that was hardly surprising.

Yanagi grinned. "Okay!" and held up the comic book. On the cover was a picture of what looked like Mikagami, brandishing his Ensui and facing Domon, who had horns on his head and was standing in front of Fuuko who was obviously dressed like a princess. Domon seemed disappointed, Fuuko seemed curious, and Mikagami had an 'I-don't-care' look behind his long hair. 

Ten minutes later, everyone sat in mute surprise. The story wasn't . . . that bad. It wasn't _Romeo and Juliet_, but it also wasn't so bad that the audience wouldn't like it. Besides, they were going to use their Madogu, as well as Recca's fireworks, as special effects. No one would be the wiser of the truth, and it would be real eye candy for the viewers.

"Well then!" Tatesako beamed, breaking the silence and jumping down next to the circle of the Hokage. "I guess it's time we start rehearsal, since we only have a week!"

"What?"

The word was said in many different ways by many different people. Mikagami's voice held a hint of surprise, but that same unnaturally cool edge it always kept. Fuuko, whose voice was the exact opposite and was always loud and brash, sounded aghast at the fact. Recca, who had proven time and time again he either didn't care about the obvious or was too stupid to notice it, was shocked completely.  
  
"I talked to the principal." Mr. Tatesako explained. "He's agreed to let you do the play next Friday; and again on Saturday if it's successful."

Mikagami's eye was twitching with annoyance. "We're supposed to have _two_ weeks before he throws us out."

Tatesako sighed. "Mikagami, you're smart, you should know that he _wants_ you all out. You're lucky he gave you what he did."

Mikagami gave an annoyed sigh, the kind he usually reserved for when he was forced to speak to 'the monkeys' (as he called Recca, Domon and Fuuko) and he leaned back.

"Alright then!" Tatesako announced. "We need to rehearse. Fuuko, take the script. You can share it and learn your lines together since we only have one."

"I'll rehearse with you Fuuko!" Domon shouted almost at once; but Recca shook his head. "You gotta come with me Domon." Recca explained. "You're playing the evil oni, remember? And you breathe fire. And I'm the special effects guy." "So?" Domon asked, very irritable since he was being denied time with Fuuko. 

"So we need to practice using the fireworks!" Recca glared. His father had distilled a great 'fire-safety' in his head. While he ignored this lesson whenever he tossed around his gunpowder for fights, he somehow remembered it when it came to this. "Or you can just wing it on Show-time and risk blowing your head to dust."

Domon sweatdropped. Obviously he didn't want to blow his head into dust, but safety was second to his crush on Fuuko. Fuuko had a un-readable expression on her face, but Recca guessed that she was rooting for Domon to go play with the fire; and not her.

"Actually." Tatesako said. "Tokiya and Fuuko have the most lines, so they should be the ones to take the script. They are the stars." 

Domon sighed, accepting defeat and he muttered all the way out as he followed Recca and Mr. Hanabishi to the backyard for fireworks training. Once they had left, Yanagi handed the script and the comic to Fuuko, and then she turned over to Mr. Tatesako.

"I was thinking that I could work on the props." She said quietly. Yanagi was a very artistic person; but also a very shy one.  
  
"I'll help." Kaoru said almost instantly; feeling very glad that Recca wasn't around to interfere.

"Me too!" Ganko piped up. Kaoru shot a glance at her, wondering why she seemed to eager (he knew why HE was eager) but he quickly ignored it and looked back to Yanagi.  
  
"Sure." Tatesako said, and then he turned around to Kagero. "Miss. Kagero, I hate to ask but the fact is you're from the Sengoku period and the play tales place there. My wife is very good at sewing, so perhaps between your first-hand experience and my knowledge of Ninjas, we can help her make some costumes?" 

Kagero nodded. "I'd be happy to help. Come along." She took Mr. Tatesako's hand. At first he seemed confused, but a moment later a large swirling shadow opened on the wall and Kagero lead him into it. Mr. Tatesako was as giddy as a schoolgirl as he stared wide-eyed at the Hokage magic and happily took the shadow-transit back to his own home. After an exchange of "good-byes", Yanagi, Ganko and Kaoru set off to head to the arts and crafts store and stock up on prop supplies. This left only Mikagami and Fuuko in the bedroom with their task of learning their lines.

"Well Mi-chan." Fuuko yawned, flipping through the script. "Which scene should we start with?"

Mikagami blinked. "The first one?"

Fuuko shook her head. "No way. Beginnings are boring! Let's try something interesting. . ." At this point Fuuko stopped talking and began twisting page after page in search of something good. Occasionally she'd stop and say "ooh" but that would be followed by a "we need Domon for that" or "never mind". Finally she reached the end of the play and her eyes rested on something. Halfway down the page she stopped and nodded, without bothering to read the rest.

"Let's do the final act!" She said, placing the script on the bed and standing up. "After Prince Hakugin saves Naomi from the Oni!"

Mikagami nodded and rose to his feet. He hadn't done any acting since his sister's passing. And while he could care less about college, he still remembered all those nights when his sister would come home from work in a bad mood. She never once took it out on him. And she never once complained about the fact that she did all of this for him. His sister had sacrificed so much so that Mikagami could have the money to go to college, and he'd be damned before he'd let her down. No matter what the price he had to pay. Even if it meant doing a play with the monkeys.

"Okay. Let's see. 'Lord Hakugin, you came all this way . . . for me?'"

Mikagami was surprised. Fuuko wasn't terrible. She was actually pretty good at acting. Her voice had gone from the normal rather annoying monkey-tongue to a accent appropriate for her character: Naomi, the peasant who fell in love with the prince. Mikagami quickly scanned over the page and soaked his lines into his brain, and then he spoke them.

"Indeed Naomi, I braved the wilds of this world; and the black soul of Kuro the Oni to find you." 

It was Fuuko's turn to be surprised. While Mikagami was usually soft-spoken and quiet, his voice was filled with a harsh, icy flavor that perfectly outlined the revenge he lusted for. However, as Prince Hakugin, his voice had become smooth and gentle. It sounded . . . real. Few could change themselves this much to act this naturally.  
  
"But my lord . . ." Fuuko replied, flawlessly pulling off her next line. This was going to be simple. "Why would you risk your life, and the future of our people?"

Mikagami took a quick glance at the script. He was excellent at memorizing his lines fast. Then again, he had mastered one of the hardest forms of swordsmanship in less than seven years; which made this child's play. "Must you even ask Naomi? I love you. I have spent many a lonely night longing for you."

At this, Fuuko burst out laughing dropping all professionalism she had once used. She quickly covered her mouth and bit her lip to surpass the giggles that had erupted, but it was a hard task. Mikagami rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. She had been like a different person a moment ago; but one simple line with even the slightest perverted hint and she had gone back to being a baboon. 

"S-sorry." Fuuko snickered.  
  
"Whatever." Mikagami's eye twitched before he repeated his last line. This time, he was rewarded with Fuuko finishing her line.  
  
"Lord Hakugin . . . It is wrong."

"Why?" Mikagami replied in character.  
  
"It is against the law!" Fuuko's character replied in a whiney, embarrassed voice that sounded very odd coming out of her mouth. 

"I am Prince." Mikagami's character responded. "I shall change the law."

"I . . . am not worthy." Fuuko responded as she glanced at the script.  
  
"You are mistaken." Tokiya, or Hakugin as he was acting, shook his head. His sister had always made him go all out on his acting. Even physical gestures. "I believe you are worthy."

"I . . . no. No Lord Hakugin, you are wrong." Fuuko turned away, closing her eyes and, to Tokiya's amazement, crying. Recca had mentioned that she had done acting in elementary school, but he had not expected her to be able to cry on command. That was a truly rare gift among those on stage; and truthfully Mikagami hadn't expected the monkey to be so gifted. Ignoring his shock, Mikagami looked back to the script and read his next line.

"I cannot be wrong, Naomi-chan. The only wrong of this day is your refusal to admit your equal love." 

"I . . ." For a monkey, Fuuko was great at this. She made it very convincing, as if she and Mikagami really were these young lovers. Mikagami blinked once as the thought of Fuuko and himself being lovers crossed his mind. Why did his mind torture him with such mental images? "I do love you." Fuuko finally finished.

"I know you do." Mikagami read his lines. "Now kiss me Naomi-chan." 

Fuuko looked down at the script to find her next line and she froze. The loss of color on her face, combined with the look of mute shock and embarrassment had peaked Mikagami's interest. Tokiya looked down and found a small sentence combined in parenthesis. The words "_(Hakugin and Naomi kiss. Naomi breaks away with tears of happiness in her eyes and they embrace)_". Mikagami's face froze over quicker than his sword.

Neither of them spoke.  
  
Yanagi expected them to . . . kiss?

"Err. Mi-chan?"

"I'm not kissing you." Fuuko's eye twitched. While she was relieved that Mikagami was not going to try to kiss her, she was also very annoyed that he had said it _like that_. She was no girly-girl, but there was no way in hell someone was going to act like the idea of kissing Fuuko Kirisawa was something worth the expression Mikagami had on his face.  
  
"Why not?" 

Mikagami blinked. "You _want_ me to kiss you?"

"Wha—of course I don't!" 

"Then what is your problem?" The silvery-haired boy asked as he shifted the weight from one foot to the other.

"I want you to _want_ to kiss me!" Fuuko snarled.

"What?"

"I want you to want to kiss me, without actually doing it."

Mikagami's eye twitched once again. This had to be the single most confusing and pointless conversation ever carried out by human beings. It was like a bad sitcom. Rubbing the area between his eyes with a hand exhaustedly, Mikagami tried to get the facts straight. Finally he looked over at her and spoke.

"So you don't want me to kiss you, but you want me to want too?"

"Pretty much." Fuuko replied.

"I need new friends." Mikagami sighed, turning around and exited the room as if he was afraid his mind may rot if he stayed here any longer. Truthfully, that was a thought that had crossed his mind quite a few times over the months with Team Hokage. Oh they each had something Mikagami respected about them (well not Domon, he was just a gorilla), but he couldn't for the life of him figure out how so many people could have so few brain cells between them.

**----**

"No Domon!" Recca growled as the larger Team Hokage member fell onto his bottom for the twelfth time in a row. Domon was supposed to be learning how to throw one of the gray balls up in front of his mouth. He was supposed to light the fuse as he did so, so that it would explode at exactly the right time. He had to take a deep breath and blow out at the explosion, so that the flames leapt across the stage and made it look like he was blowing fire. It would be awesome if it worked; but Domon just wasn't getting it right.

"HEY! IT ISN'T THAT EASY HANABISHI!" Domon spat.

"Sure it is." Recca replied, pulling off the move flawlessly. "And you have bigger lungs, you can do it better." 

"Shut the fuc—"

At this moment, however, the door of the house opened. A very annoyed Mikagami came stepping out and walked right between Domon and Recca. (Mr. Hanabishi had gone for a smoke) A moment later, Fuuko followed behind with a dangerous glare in her eyes. Recca and Domon both took a scuttle backwards at that look, since they both knew her well enough to know she was pissed.

"Mikagami! Get back here!" She snarled, twirling an ice pick in her hand like she always did when she was annoyed.  
  
"I don't want to kiss you." Mikagami replied.

"WHAT!? KISS FUUKO!?" Domon's loud voice roared. 

"I don't want you to kiss me! I just want you to want too!" Fuuko snapped back.

"We're back!" Yanagi's singsong voice called as she came strolling across the grounds. She held a large box of craft supplies in her arms, and Kaoru and Ganko were following her close also holding brown boxes full of the same. However, between Domon's face (which was filled with horror), Recca's (which held confusion), Fuuko's (savage, loathing anger) and Mikagami's (sheer vexation), she quickly quieted down.

"Thanks Yanagi!" Fuuko snapped. "Why did you have to write me and Mikagami kissing?" 

"Hey, don't yell at my Princess!"

Fwap.

"Fuuko! Be careful with those picks, you could have hit Recca!"

"No, I'm fine Princess. She always throws those at me— YAH! – see?"

"Monkeys . . . they're all monkeys."

**----**

The conversation faded, and broke off all together. The man in black waved his hand and the large glowing orb of light vanished. The room was pitch black for a minute when the overhead lamp finally clicked back on. This room was barren, save only the large oak table that Kurei sat at. Rain was beading down on the windows in icy sheets, and the sound was becoming increasingly annoying.

"Well?" Kurei breathed impatiently as the orb that had showed Recca and the others vanished. "Can you take care of this?" 

"Can I? No." The man in black responded, flicking his long hair, which was black and thin; like piano wire, behind his head. "You're father isn't paying me enough for _my_ services. However Kurei-sama, I will dispatch one of my associates to murder them, yes."

Kurei rolled his eyes behind the mask. "I don't care _who_ kills them. My only concern is that they die."

"And die they will." The man in black responded. "You need not worry. From what my magic has shown us, they are holding a play. I assure you, by midnight on that night they shall all be dead."

"Not Recca!" Kurei spat. "Nor the Sakoshita girl! I need them alive!"

"I do not take prisoners." The man in black hissed dangerously. "If you want them alive, capture them yourself Kurei." All respect for the flame-wielder was dropped.

"Fine. Just kill the rest of them. With them gone, Recca won't stand a chance."

"I doubt that, Kurei, but I really don't care. I'm only in this for the money. And for the Madogu, of course. I get to keep Fuujin, Ensui, Kogon Ankin and the rest."

"Fine." Kurei tilted his head. "You kill them and you can have whatever you want. Just don't disappoint me as much as _my own_ associates have." At this, Kurei shot a nasty glance at Raiha, who stood by the door in silence.

"Very well, Kurei." The man in black nodded. "Team Hokage will die by midnight, next Friday night."

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**More Rant**: Woooo! Flame of Recca Volume Seven! Heh, I can't get over it.

Well, it's nearly four am right now. I've been writing this since 1:30. I saw those four reviews and just had to hurry up the process. Heh.  
  
Speaking of my four wonderful reviews (I'm a sucker for these), here's my feedback!

**Rockyspirit**

Indeed it is ToFuu! Well, not yet, obviously. But it will be. Mikagami will warm up. It'll just take time.

**TwistedApathy**  
Mokuren. Yeah. I knew that. I just couldn't spell it, and was much too lazy to go all the way to my bedroom and dig out my Manga. –snickers- And yeah! Seventh volume! I got it today (I may have mentioned that once or twice, or a million times . God I'm a nerd) Wow? All 33? Cooooool. COOOOOOOOOL.

Oh. And you get a cookie for the suffix list.

**Yuuhi amino**  
Mmmhmm. They do kiss. Err... later. Heh. Yanagi's playing matchmaker and she doesn't even know it.

**G-Cleft**  
Ah, thank you! You've inflated my already over-sized head with your kind words. Heh. I gotta go stab my ego and keep it down, but first I shall thank you. The plot is creative, but very hard to expand on. Meh. Oh well, next chapter I'll get into Ganko's crush and fill some time.

Anyway, I thank you all for the reviews, and I'll beg you for some more now.  
Chow.


	3. Romance Problems At The Kirisawa House

**Hokage Theater Presents**

**By**

**Brandon Rice**

**Disclaimer**: FLAME OF RECCA and all of its characters belong to Nobuyuki Anzai, Shogakukan, Inc. and Viz, LLC. None of it is mine: EXCEPT for the plot of this story and of the play they put on. Oh, I also own the man in black and his assassin.

**Author's Rant**: I didn't do Fuuko and Mikagami justice last chapter. I'm sure if it wasn't so late; I could have done it much better. Oh well, I'll just hope this one turns out better.

Oh. Odio, the man in black, has a bit of an annoying habit. He cuts himself with piano wire. It's pretty sick, so I'll have a **big bold warning** before that part, in case you don't want to read it. I really don't think you should have a problem, but I'd know some people, myself included, have issues with self-mutilation and such.  
  
Oh. I suppose one could argue that this story contains some Domon-bashing. I really don't mean for it to come across that way, but I'm afraid that it will. I mean, he acts like a jealous, idiotic loaf throughout most of it. I don't mean to bash him at all . . . so I'll just make him do something heroic later on. Or not. I don't know yet. Just wanted to say I don't mean to bash Ishijima.

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**Chapter Three**: _Romance Problems At The Kirisawa House_

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

Mr. Tatesako's house, which despite some damage taken from Kaoru and Mokuren's attack, was just like Recca; covered in ninja stuff. The difference was Tatesako had a much more complete collection than Hanabishi did. However they were not in the large corners of the house dedicated to Tatesako's undying love for the Ninja clans of yesteryear. Instead they were in a small room that his wife had converted into her safe-haven away from the Sengoku Era. She loved her husband, and she could put up with his Ninja-worshiping, but there was only so much she could deal with.  
  
Now Mrs. Tatesako was sitting behind her sewing machine, diligently turning out an authentic costume. It was only a simple garment; but it was the most realistic looking outfit someone like her could have produced. This was due mainly to Kagero; who had overseen it with her vast knowledge of the Sengoku Period. Mr. Tatesako himself was also present; he was sitting in a corner with Yanagi, Kaoru and Ganko working on the props. They'd already agreed to use the Madogu; but they would also need some other, less lethal objects for use.

Little Ganko was down on her knees, cutting the edge of a long piece of wood so it resembled a katana. And while Ganko was only nine and was by far the sweetest little girl you'd ever want to meet; she knew a thing or two about swords, having once used one to nearly hack Fuuko into bits. But that was during the old time when she had served Kurei. She didn't like to think about those times, especially when she and Fuuko had done battle. It made her so sad because of how much she cared about Fuuko and all the rest now. 

As the sadness swelled up inside her, Ganko nibbled on her lip. She really couldn't get all emotional for no reason; but it was hard not too. Sliding the knife down the edge of the wood, Ganko's hand slipped and the side of the blade plunged into one of the fingers of her other hand. Ganko blinked for a moment, and then she burst out in wailing tears. (For a former servant of Kurei-the-evil, she sure didn't handle pain well.)

Kaoru, who had been sitting not far away helping Yanagi glue a large, fake diamond to the crown for Prince Hakugin (Mikagami would look so girly in this crown; not that he didn't already look pretty girly.) looked over his shoulder at Ganko. Her pinky finger was bleeding profusely. Now in terms of blood in the body, a heavy-bleeding pinky wasn't anything serious. However, this didn't stop Kaoru from moving. He moved across the room quickly, snatched a scarf off the wall, and before the others had even figured out what happened the thirteen-year-old had wrapped the old black scarf around Ganko's finger. Ganko stopped crying and looked over at Kaoru with a couple small sniffs and a slight blush.

"That was a Takeda battle scarf." Mr. Tatesako said, almost in a daze. "One of five remaining in the world." 

Kagero nudged him in the ribs and shook her head. Back with Team Hokage, Yanagi had found her way over and she unwrapped the scarf and took Ganko's finger in the palm of her hands. The cut was gone in a flash and Ganko smiled up at the redhead happily. Then she threw her arms around Kaoru, who blinked once and began to squirm.

"Hey! Hey Hey!"

"Thank you Koganei-kun!" Ganko squeaked.

"Getoffme!" Kaoru growled.

Yanagi couldn't help but smile.

**----**

This room, like all of the rooms in the mansion, was black. However this one was much worse. There were no windows, so the rain was muffled since it was only hitting the walls. However, the sound of rain did not break the man's concentration. Odin Okawa was his name, and he was big. Domon Ishijima would have looked like a French poodle compared to Odin. His head was clean shaven and he wore a black training Gi. His body was well sculpted and his arms held muscles that looked rather like swollen rocks.

In front of him was a large training dummy. Odin lifted his fist and moved it back. He was ready to throw the punch when the door behind him opened. Odin's eye twitched, but he didn't move. A much smaller man walked into the room. He was thin and tall; but not as tall as Odin. The smaller man wore all black and his cape was draped down his back. His hair was like thin piano wire; something that he loved. He wore a black belt and on the edges of it were two large black boxes that resembled oversized dental floss containers. His hair was only for look; but those boxes held the real lethality.

"Dear brother." Odio, the smaller man said. "I do apologize, I know you're training, but we have a job." 

Odin snorted. "I was busy."

"Indeed." Odio replied. "However, Kurei has paid for your services; and we do not disappoint our customers."

Odio and Odin were famed among the underworld bosses of the world. Everyone from the Tokyo underground to the New York Kingpin was likely to hire them. Simply because they were the best. Odin was famous for his cooler-than-normal head even in the fiercest combat. People told stories of his splitting men's skulls with those Freddy Kruger gloves of his. His brother Odio was even worse. He was rumored to keep cases of steel wire on his belt. It was sharp and thin and could cut skin down to the bone. And Odio was famed for slicing his enemies into shreds. Combined they were the sickest assassins in the world.

"Who are the targets?" Odin asked, walking across the barren floor to the corner where a table sat in the shadows. The only light was the light from the open door; and this table looked near-invisible in the shade. Odin always trained in pitch-black and with a scarf over his eyes. To be able to fight without sight was a very useful skill. It sharpened his senses and made his more likely to win in a nighttime battle. 

"Tokiya Mikagami, Fuuko Kirisawa, Kaoru Koganei, Domon Ishijima and Ganko Morikawa." Odio responded. "I have pictures downstairs."

"Fine." Odin replied. "What's the policy on civilians?"

**  
Cutting Warning**.

Odio smirked. Odin could see his brother twirling a thin wire in his fingers. Odin winced. He didn't know how Odio could stand that annoying idiosyncrasy of his. As Odio slipped the wire around his wrist he pulled it slowly and gave a sharp intake of breath as his arm slit and a small trickle of blood seeped down.

**  
End Warning**.

"Stop that." Odin growled. "It's sick."

Odio blinked. "You can slice a man's skull in half, but you wince at my wrist?"

"Yes, because a man is someone. You are my brother. You do it to yourself. It's . . . sick."

Odio rolled his eyes, but he untied the wire from himself and instead let it lie in his hand boringly. He then leaned against the table and looked up at his larger brother. "Civilians are allowed to die. Just leave Hanabishi and Sakoshita alive. Kurei wants them that way."

"Whatever." Odin replied. He reached down and picked up a dark leather jacket from the desk. He put it on and then reached down once more. This time he extracted a pair of black leather gloves from the desk and set them in the pocket of the jacket gently. Odio smiled rather insanely.

"Take my wire too." He replied, extending his hand containing the blood-stained wire. "And cut the Kirisawa girl for me." 

"Hell no!" Odin responded, pushing his hand away. "I'm not doing that nasty crap."

"Please?"

"Can I just kill them my way?" Odin growled.

"Fine." Odio sighed in defeated. "But at least take the wire with you. Keep it with you at all times so that my protection is with you?"

"Goddamn it, fine!" Odin shouted, taking the wire and quickly putting it in his pocket.

Odio smiled madly.

**----**

"Why does Fuuko have to kiss Mikagami?" Domon asked, for the umpteenth time, as he walked behind Recca, Yanagi, Kaoru and Ganko. Recca and Domon had spent this Sunday afternoon practicing the fireworks once again, and then they had gone to pick up the group from Mr. Tatesako's house. Oh Kagero could easily transport them back to their own homes, and she had offered to do so, but Yanagi had wanted to walk and Kaoru and Ganko had gone with her. So Recca and Domon had come to walk them all home; since Recca didn't let his princess go anywhere without him if he could help it.

"Stop criticizing the princess's play!" Recca shot back.

"I'm not criticizing the play, I'm just saying it was stupid to have Fuuko kiss that icy bastard." 

"I'm sorry." Yanagi sniffed. "I didn't mean to be stupid."

"You made princess cry!" Recca growled, throwing a punch at Domon. Domon growled and the two of them were soon exchanging blows as they had since they first met. Kaoru rolled his eyes and he patted Yanagi gently on the arm.

"Domon's just jealous. Your play is wonderful."

"You really think so?" Yanagi asked, sniffing once more.

"I do." Kaoru responded, trying to keep his voice low and still be heard over the sounds of Recca and Domon dueling it out. Yanagi smiled warmly and hugged the small boy, who blushed as red as a beet. Ganko seemed annoyed, and Recca too had a slightly put-off look to him. Domon, who was now sitting on the ground holding his bloody nose, just looked angry.

"I never said it was no good." Domon muttered. "I just don't want to see Fuuko kiss Mikagami! And I know you don't want to either, Fuuko, right?"

Domon then blinked. He looked around and seemed to have noticed for the first time that Fuuko was not with them. Then he quickly grabbed Recca's shirtfront and pulled him towards him. "Where's Fuuko!?"  
  
Recca blinked. "She said she was going to see Mikagami."

"WHAT!?"

**----**

Not far from where Tokiya Mikagami lived there was a large junkyard. The yard was piled high with various trash, as well as old cars. It served both as a landfill and an impounding lot. They crushed cars and stored trash. Or at least they sued too before the city cut the funding and the place was closed down. Mikagami was happy the place had been closed, because now he had a place to practice his swordsmanship without interruptions. Standing in the midst of the junkyard was a large box set up with some targets set up.

The targets; a garden gnome statue, a fake Christmas tree and a cardboard "Rocky Balboa" used in movie theaters fro those Sylvester Stallone movies. Mikagami held his dagger out in front of his chest and poured a small bottle full of drinking water over the blade. Slowly the water and the knife's blade became one and extended far. Then he held it before his face and watched the water-blade to become a blade of hoarfrost. 

When he was satisfied with Ensui's ice form, Mikagami held it before him. He paused for a moment. Then, without warning, Mikagami ran forward faster than a hummingbird's wings. He swiped his arm out with the swiftness of a dog chasing a rabbit and watched, with approval, as the blade passed through the lawn gnome. The gnome was severed in half, and both halves were frozen at the severance. The silvery-haired swordsman whirled around and flashed the sword through the Christmas tree a few times fast, and when he jumped away the tree fell into six equal pieces; each frozen solid. Finally he turned to the Rocky cutout and thrust his sword forward. It should have pierced right in-between the red gloves of the boxer; but it did not.

A gust of wind, which Mikagami knew was not nature's doing, picked up the cutout and moved it back several hundred feet. Mikagami's eyes flashed to the side and he spotted Fuuko, a large grin plastered on her face, sitting on top of an old battered car's roof. Mikagami glared and jumped forward; but the cardboard cutout flew at Tokiya. Tokiya sliced it in half and watched the frozen halves smash the ground on either side of him.

"Not bad Kirisawa." Mikagami said. "If you're fighting the gorilla." 

Fuuko jumped off the car roof and landed on her feet with a certain grace that seemed almost useful. She rose up and held between her fingers several ice picks. Mikagami held the sword. Neither of them had really said 'Say, would you like to spar?' but neither of them really had too. Mikagami had never really fought Fuuko, and he could use the practice.

Fuuko jumped forward, hurling four of the ice picks at various heights and velocities. Mikagami was impressed at how quickly she could throw them; but it was far from good enough for her current enemy. Swinging his sword in a counterclockwise motion, Mikagami was able to pass the blade through each of the ice picks; freezing and breaking them all. 

"Do any of you monkey's have a _different_ fighting style?" Mikagami asked, being reminded strongly of Recca's recklessness.

"Fuuko's style is one of a kind." Fuuko replied with a smirk. She ran forward, throwing the other hand full of ice picks. Mikagami was no fool. He did not believe that she'd try the same move twice in a row. He jumped back, slicing his sword the same as he had before. He was right. She let him cut the first three picks with ease; but her Fuujin blew the fourth one off course and it went flying. Mikagami twisted to his left; but he was too slow. The pick cut across his side and he landed on his feet as the blood stained his shirt. "Still unimpressed?" Fuuko asked. "Quite." Mikagami responded coldly. "But you did draw my blood faster than Recca did. Kaoru was better, though." 

Fuuko glared. "It's not the speed, it's the quality."

Mikagami's eyebrow rose and he stood. He didn't bother running towards her; since it wasn't his style. Fuuko however, yawned and walked over in an obvious fashion that meant the battle was over. Pity. Mikagami thought she might have had some merit in combat. However he did lower his sword and Fuuko let her hand that contained the Fuujin hang loosely at her side.

"What do you want?" Mikagami asked. 

"I wanted to talk about this kissing thing."

"Oh no, not _again_. Honestly Kirisawa, we went over this."

"I know!" Fuuko spat. "But . . . look, we have to do it."

Mikagami shook his head. "Yanagi can change the script."

Fuuko nibbled on her lip. "Yeah. Well I asked her earlier. But Recca and I sat down and had a discussion about it, and we came to the conclusion that it was best I suck it up and let you kiss me."

Mikagami's eyebrow went even higher on his head. "Recca kicked your ass because he didn't want Yanagi to cry?"

"Shut up." Fuuko snapped, confirming Tokiya's theory. "I'd rather kiss you than fight dragon-boy."

Mikagami's head, which had already been shaken once, shook again. "No." 

"Fine." Fuuko said, using her ace-in-the-hole. "But you tell Yanagi. I don't like making girls cry."

Mikagami's face twitched. He wouldn't in a million years do something to make Yanagi cry for his own personal gain. He would only cause her pain if it was for her own good. This was simply for his selfish desire not to kiss the monkey. Yanagi looked, and acted, too much like Mifuyu.

"Fine. We'll kiss."  
  
Fuuko wasn't exactly thrilled. "Well. . ."  
  
Mikagami growled. "Not now! On stage!"

Fuuko nodded. She took acting almost as serious as she took fighting, and she'd be damned if she'd use a new move on Kurei without first testing it on Recca. It was the same deal here; she knew how awkward it would be to kiss Mikagami. And she would have to practice. But she wasn't going to push her luck today. She could use her mind and use guile and patience to make sure the play went perfectly.

"We need to rehearse though." So much for guile and patience.

"I'm beginning to think that you _want_ to kiss me." Mikagami announced.

"Don't flatter yourself." Fuuko responded hastily.

"Oh right, you're type is the tall, bulky and moronic."

Fuuko shook her head. "Domon likes me. It's one-sided all the way."

Mikagami nodded, but the roll of his eyes gave away his obvious disbelief. Fuuko's eye twitched but she didn't respond.

"What about . . ."

"Raiha is just a friend." Fuuko responded almost naturally. Mikagami didn't know why he was so interested in this, and he was in an even greater confusion about why he felt _relieved_ to hear this. Maybe he was spending too much time about the simian-trio and his brain cells had committed seppuku.  
  
"So . . ." 

"Yeah."

The two of them stood very awkwardly. On the one hand, Fuuko really wanted to get used to this so it wouldn't be as awkward on stage. But at the same time she didn't want to kiss Mikagami. That was just . . . eww. Cold, emotionless and rude wasn't her type. Come to think of it, she didn't really have a type. Fuuko wasn't the romantic type at all.

"Well. Kiss me." Fuuko said at length.

"Why should _I_ kiss you? This was _your_ idea." Mikagami responded at once.

"You're the man. Or at least you claim you are girly-boy."

"I happen to be very secure in my masculinity, thank you very much." Tokiya snapped back.

"You'd have to be to have hair like that." Fuuko responded. "I can smell your strawberry shampoo from here."

"How would you know?" Mikagami growled. "I thought hair-care was too 'girly' for the great Fuuko Kirisawa?"

"It's okay for girls to act like guys. That's why we wear pants _and_ dresses. But guys who act like girls; well that's just wrong."

"I do not act like a girl. I simply like looking better like a human, as opposed to something from the zoo." Mikagami replied, eyeing Fuuko's torn jeans and her old, over-sized and stained shirt.

"Get your eyes off my chest, girly-man." Fuuko snapped. Mikagami heaved a sigh since he was simply looking at her ugly clothes, not her . . . accessories.

"This isn't going to work. Domon can have my part." Mikagami announced at last. Fuuko flushed.

"No! I don't want to kiss Domon!"

"Well you obviously don't want to kiss me either, and the feeling is more than mutual. So let's just call it quits."

"No way." Fuuko cried out angrily. "I'm not going to make an ass of myself on stage just because I have to kiss you."

Mikagami was ready to say something, but what smart-ass reply he had on the tip of his tongue would be a mystery forever. Fuuko, for all her flaws, was a great actress. While her tough-girl image may be ruined by admitting it, she loved the stage. In elementary school she had been on the stage every day of her life that she hadn't already wasted fighting with Recca. She was going back on the stage for the first time in years and she was not letting her comeback be ruined by this bastard. So Fuuko did the only logical thing she could do. She wrapped her hands around Mikagami's face and pulled him into a kiss.  
  
Really it wasn't that bad. Tokiya wasn't big on romance and aside from pecks on the cheek by some of the girls he had tutored in middle school, and the kisses he had exchanged with his mother and sister before their own demises, he hadn't quite "kissed a girl". Not like this. He hadn't expected Fuuko's kiss to be quite like this. Her lips were . . . soft. That was a shock. He expected her lips to be callused and hard; like the rest of her. But they weren't. They were soft, and they had found some ground right in the middle of being dry and wet. It was actually enjoyable. Though he'd sooner slice his right hand off than admit that.

As for Fuuko's thoughts, well she was just taken aback. She had just kissed Mikagami. That wasn't like her. Then again . . . it was. He had told her that she could not kiss him. And everyone knew that when you tell Fuuko not to do something, she simply had too. The angry reasons for the kiss seemed rather lost to her know. She was just surprised at how warm his lips were. Honestly she expected to pull away and have her mouth frozen.

Pull away. Neither of them had done so yet. That was odd. For two people who had complained about having to do this, they sure seemed to enjoy it. 

"FUUKO!"

Fuuko did pull away this time. She fell backwards, glancing up at Domon. Mikagami's senses seemed to return and he froze, looking at himself as if he was questioning whether or not this was a dream. Domon was standing at the edge of the junkyard with a look of horror on his face. He fell too his knees and it looked like he was . . . crying?

Now Domon wasn't known for his clever wit, or his intelligence. He wasn't "Domon the Devil" because of his cool-head and rational thinking. His face twitched, he stood up, and he charged forward. Fuuko took a step back, not wanting to be trampled. Domon threw back his fist and then he threw it forward. Mikagami was in such a daze (he was aghast to find he had enjoyed kissing Fuuko) that he never saw the punch coming. Mikagami was knocked back to the ground. Domon jumped towards him for the second hit; but Mikagami wasn't that messed up. Domon stop in mid-air, and just in time, because Ensui was an inch from his throat.

"Down baka." Mikagami snapped, his mood fouler than usual. Mikagami stood up, gave one look at Fuuko, and then turned and walked towards the exit of the junkyard. Fuuko took a step to follow him, but he turned around, said the word 'no', and then turned back to finish his course. Fuuko fell to her knees and leaned her head against Domon, now very confused. Domon was crying again. 

**----**

By that night word of the events at the junkyard had spread through the Hokage. Everyone was talking about it when they dropped Ganko off at the Kirisawa house. She had barley taken any notice in the problems that Kaoru and the others had discussed the entire trip. Ganko stayed in her own little world as Mrs. Kirisawa bade her goodnight while she went down to the room she and Fuuko shared. Upon arriving she found Fuuko was already lying in bed and she had a annoyed look on her face. Ganko changed in quiet and made no sign to talk to the older girl until she lay down, at which point she turned on her side and looked over to Fuuko.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Fuuko grunted. Ganko decided to pretend that was a 'yes'.

"How do you know when you have a crush on someone?" Ganko's question surprised Fuuko; since it was one she had been pondering herself.

"Don't worry about that stuff Ganko. You're only nine; you shouldn't drive yourself crazy with romance yet."

"Why?" Ganko asked. "Why can't I?"

Fuuko rolled onto her side and looked over at the kid. "Ganko . . . I'm not the person to ask this stuff about. I'm not the romantic type. You should ask Kagero, she was married."

"But . . . I wanted to ask you, Fuuko."

Fuuko looked at Ganko for a minute and the look in the kid's eyes was enough to melt the mighty Fuuko into mush. Blah. She sighed and rolled back onto her back, casting her eyes out the window and at the starry night sky.

"I don't know Ganko. I guess . . . I guess you'll know because you'll feel like you've never felt before. And you'll feel it around that person."

"Oh." Was Ganko's only reply. "Fuuko? Did you kiss Mikagami?"

Fuuko's eye twitched and a sweatdrop fell down her face. "Domon told everybody, huh? Yeah I kissed him, but nobody heard the whole story. I'm sure that bad dog twisted it into something it wasn't."

"Do you have a crush on Mikagami?" Ganko asked.

"Of course not!" Fuuko snapped. Ganko looked hurt by the rudeness, and Fuuko quickly apologized. She wasn't very good at being the sweet and sunny person needed to raise Ganko. Sighing she shook her head. "It wasn't like that."

"Then . . . why did you kiss him?"

Fuuko sighed.

"I wish I knew."

**---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----**

**More Rant**: Wooo! I got more reviews! That makes my day.  
Tell you what; if I get ten of them before chapter four I'll make you guys a little present. I don't know what it'll be. Maybe a comedy ficcy, or a comic or something. Just some kind of thank you.

Anyway, I think they were OOC in this chapter. But I said that about last time, and one of the reviewers complemented me on how IC they were, so I have no clue. Hopefully I'm wrong. Then again, people do act differently than normal when they fall in love. I'll get to more of the Ganko x Kaoru later on. And we'll get some time with Recca and his Princess before too long. I may even have some implied Kagero x Mr. Hanabishi; if I need to fill time. Anyway, this was the last you'll see of our baddies for a while; I think. I may have Odin kill some guys at the airport when he flies into Japan or something, but that, again, is only if I need to fill time. 

Oh. And Domon will be an idiot for a while yet to come. But he'll be brave later.

Speaking of which, should Domon and Mikagami fight? I thought about it, but don't know if I want to do it or not. What do you guys want?

**Review Replies**

**marisha**  
You flatter me too much with those kind words.  
Have a cookie.

**Akira**  
In character? If you say so... I'll believe you since I might just be being hard on myself. And thank you. I've got a lot of complements on this plot. It makes me feel good. Have a cookie too.


	4. Yanagi's Advice

**Hokage Theater Presents**

**By**

**Brandon Rice**

**Disclaimer**: FLAME OF RECCA and all of its characters belong to Nobuyuki Anzai, Shogakukan, Inc. and Viz, LLC. None of it is mine: EXCEPT for the plot of this story and of the play they put on. Oh, I also own the Odio and Odin.

**Author's Rant**: Y'know. For the first time since I did _Time Off_ I've began writing a fic that I actually _like_. This is cool. Really cool. Heh. Well, I'll cease my ranting for once and let the fic flow.  
  
The flashback to Tokiya's childhood in this one is the result of lots of Dr. Pepper. Beware. The scene at the graveyard is pretty cliché, but I had to include it.

10 reviews! 10 reviews! Wooooooo! I feel special!

And just as I said, I'll make you guys a special present. It may take a few days, but I will.

-nods-

Probably one of my silly songs starring Fuuko and Mikagami. I'd draw you guys a comic, but I have no scanner.

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**Chapter Four:** _Yanagi's Advice_

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It was Monday now. School had never been so hard on Recca Hanabishi. For the first time in a long time, he had to pay attention in the classes he hated most. Even math class! It was unfair. The play was set to be put on Friday night. Ever member of Team Hokage at the high school were selling tickets. Many people seemed interested; the idea of that crazy Kirisawa girl and that girly-man Mikagami prancing around on stage seemed to interest the public for some reason. Mr. Tatesako was also selling tickets in his class. But even if they did sell all the tickets they had, it wouldn't change the fact that they needed to raise their grades too.

So Recca was busy trying to figure out his math equations (A B – C / D 7 = ?), and at the same time Domon was set in class doing something he rarely ever did; reading. Unless you count manga and the occasional 'adult' book as reading, he wasn't the type to spend much of his time with literature. However, as half of the High School Hokage was busy trying to work; the other half was in hell.

Fuuko knew how very important class would be today, and she didn't care. It seemed like everywhere she looked the events of the day before played in her head. She. Had. Kissed. Mikagami. She was insane. What had brought it on? She had been mad at him, and she had been doing it for a good cause. Plus he had told her 'no' and Fuuko always did what she was told _not_ to do. Yet could all of these things alone add up to enough reason for a kiss? Maybe for a kiss, but that had been no kiss. Well, it had, but . . . It was hard for Fuuko to understand it herself. A kiss between two actors on a stage meant nothing. The kiss was simply part of the play. This had been . . . more. An actor, generally, when kissing someone on stage thinks of their next line so they don't forget. She had thought about how Mikagami's lips tasted something like . . . tic tacs.

Sighing, Fuuko leaned forward and buried her head in her hands. She was in her Foreign Language class right now, and instead of learning how to say 'I would like some cheese, please' in English, she was busy thinking of the kiss. If the kiss had meant nothing, if it had come only from anger and if it had been merely a kiss between two actors rehearsing a part; then why did she think of it ever minute since it happened? Maybe it was just the fact that it had been the first time she kissed someone in a romantic way. No, Fuuko wasn't the romantic type. That didn't make sense.

And of course, at the back of her mind were the words little Ganko had uttered. "Do you have a crush on Mikagami?" 

Fuuko couldn't have a crush. It wasn't like her. True, she had once harbored feelings for Recca, of all people, for a long time. However she had accepted that that was just a childish attraction; because it had gone away not long after that day at the school yard when Fire and Wind had clashed. She now wanted nothing more than to tease her former crush about his obvious love for his princess. Other that that, she had never crushed before. Well . . . she'd admit that Raiha was cute; but that wasn't a crush. Just a sexual attraction.

Would about Mikagami? What set him apart from Recca and Raiha? Why did it seem she was developing feelings for him? He was nothing special. Yeah, so she had been attracted to Recca because of his unwavering desire to do what is right. Mikagami wasn't like that. Mikagami was rude, sarcastic and ice cold. The exact opposite of Recca. But . . . Mikagami was still a good person. He had been pretty un-selfish when he saved Kaoru from Mokuren. And it couldn't be a sexual attraction. Mikagami looked too much like a woman. So then . . . what was it?

_Dammit Fuuko, stop thinking about this. You're being all girly and weak and moping about some damn crush! Now get back into the swing of things!_  
  
Fuuko sighed and leaned even further onto her desk. It was really annoying to be going through all of this. She had to find something to get her mind off Mikagami before she became a total wuss. Blinking, she looked behind her at the kid who sat there. He had been making a lot of noise. Fuuko flushed, noticing she _was_ leaning pretty far forward. That kid was leaning back and looking down, and if Fuuko was right in thinking he was doing it to get a peak up her skirt. . . Well, at least it would get her mind off Mikagami.

**WHAM!**

"OWWW! SHE HIT ME!" 

"Kirisawa! Go stand in the hallway!"

Fuuko sighed when she slumped against the wall in the hallway. It was always fun to smack someone in their nose and vent irritation (and she had a lot of frustration to vent today) but it was a mistake to have done it. Now she was in the hallway, and thinking of Mikagami once again.

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"Tokiya-kun, I'm home!"

"Okay."

This small house owned by Mifuyu Mikagami wasn't much, but it was enough. They didn't need much anyway. Mifuyu had just returned from the store, and she was now walking towards the kitchen. Her brother Tokiya was being abnormally quiet. Whenever seven-year-olds were quiet, it meant trouble. She knew this the hard way. Not bothering to set down the brown grocery sacks, she moved down and walked into the living room; where her suspicions were confirmed.

Tokiya was sitting on the couch watching TV. Now normally Mifuyu would simply say 'Tokiya-kun, why don't you go outside and play', simply so that her brother would not become a couch potato. However it seemed that Tokiya had found HBO, and he had found a movie that . . . well Mifuyu was suddenly very sorry that HBO didn't censor their movies. She sighed set the bags down, walked over calmly and shut off the TV, and then turned around in time to hear "hey!" from Tokiya.

"Tokiya-kun you don't need to be watching that." 

"Why not?" The confused seven-year-old asked.

"That movie is for grown ups." Mifuyu responded, walking over to the couch and sitting beside her brother. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and forced him to lean against her as she tried to think of a way to explain the facts of life to her brother. "Listen . . . that kind of movie is for grown ups."

"You already said that." Tokiya pointed out.

"I did? Err . . . yeah. Look, Tokiya-kun, someday when you're grown up, and you fall in love with a nice young lady—"  
  
"How will I fall in love?" Tokiya asked.

Mifuyu sighed. It was hard to explain the ways of the world to a seven year old. But at least she was being forced to explain about love rather than sex. It was a much easier talk. "Well, some day you'll meet a girl who you'll want to spend time with. You'll want to hug her and kiss her and live with her for the rest of your life, and she'll be your best friend."

A bit cliché, but hey, it worked.

"But Mifuyu, you're my best friend" Tokiya said quietly. 

"Oh, Tokiya-kun, I'll be with you too. But someday you'll fall in love and have someone else that's more special to you than I am."  
  
"I don't want someone else. I want you sister."

The seven year old was hugging her now. Mifuyu sighed and hugged him back. "I'll always be with you Tokiya-kun. Even after you do fall in love."

"Forever and ever?"

"Forever and ever."

Ten years later, Tokiya Mikagami sat in his Science class. He was at the back of the room with his head on the desk; the memories of his conversation with Mifuyu playing over and over again in his head like an old movie. He could hear her words in his ears, and feel her arm around his shoulders, and it was very depressing. Mikagami had been a child then. He had been carefree; and innocent. His hands were clean from blood. That Mikagami was gone. He died with Mifuyu, seven years ago. Still . . . the conversation.

Mikagami did not, could not, would not, and should not be in love with Fuuko Kirisawa. She was a monkey, she was annoying, she was rude, crude, and the kind of girl who Mifuyu would have told him to stay away from.

_No._ Mikagami sighed. _Mifuyu judged people by who they were; not how they acted. She probably would have accepted the simian-trio_.

What was he thinking? So Fuuko had kissed him. That meant nothing. Fuuko had been the one to kiss him, and it had only been for a stupid play. And even if Fuuko did have some feelings for him hidden inside that kiss, it still didn't matter because they were one-sided and Mikagami didn't return them. Even if he had enjoyed her lips. Even if he had been pleasantly surprised to find they were soft and warm and tasted good. That was simply human nature. Mikagami wasn't one of this _Shonen Sunday_ manga characters **[A/N:** Heh**]** who was icy and cool and thought himself more than a mere human. He accepted his own humanity and the flaws thereof. He was a seventeen year old boy; of course he'd enjoy a kiss with Fuuko. It didn't mean he loved her. This wasn't a fairy tale.

Sighing, Mikagami stood up and pushed his chair in beneath his desk. He slowly walked down to the edge of the classroom and then made his way to the front. Many students followed him with their eyes; and the teacher stopped speaking. Mikagami reached the door, opened it, and was almost out of the room when he teacher cleared his throat.

"You should get that cough looked at." Mikagami said sarcastically and then walked out. The class erupted in laughter and the teacher looked outraged. Mikagami however walked out of the school very calmly and made his way down the street. It was rather windy, but that didn't discourage him. He strolled down the walkway until he found his ultimate destination. It took him some time and in that time he let his eyes pass over the streets and trees and people with little interest. His mind was drifting back to the subject at hand. That is, until he arrived.

Once there he bid the man at the gate good day. They knew each other. Mikagami was here quite a bit. The gatekeeper waved and went back to his task at hand, and Mikagami strolled over the green hills. The hills were beautiful. The grass was well-kept and the sky above was blue; even if it was windy. This place really was beautiful and probably would have been even more gorgeous if not for all the dead people. 

Mikagami arrived at his sister's tombstone and he dropped down to one knee. The stone read "Mikagami Mifuyu, beloved sister and one of God's great gifts." As well as a time of birth and death beneath. Mikagami sighed. He didn't speak and he didn't get all emotional. This was simply a way to calm his mind. He'd been coming here since he was ten, and it always seemed to sooth his problems. And somehow he always seemed to find the answer he was looking for here.

_I'm never like this. Being around Recca must be hurting me mentally. I actually believed for a moment that Kirisawa was the girl you talked to me about, Mifuyu._ Mikagami thought to himself. _Maybe I'm just being childish . . ._

"Tokiya?"

Mikagami was broken out of his thoughts and he turned around. Yanagi was standing behind him, and a small child was at her side. The child appeared to have fresh tears on his face; but Mikagami was so shocked by seeing Yanagi here that he didn't think too much of it. He stood up and looked over at the woman who reminded him so strongly of his sister.

"Yanagi . . . why are you here?" 

"Daisuke, wait for me by the gate, okay?" Yanagi said to the child. "Stay with the gatekeeper, alright?"

The child nodded and turned around, running down the green grass until he was out of sight. Tokiya let his eyes go from following the child back to Yanagi, who was staring at the tombstone. Mikagami dropped his gaze and avoided both.

"Is this your sister's?" "Yes." Mikagami said quickly. "Why are you here?" 

"Daisuke's sister is buried here too." She said quietly. "I took him to visit her."

Mikagami looked up, rather surprised. "You skipped school?"

Yanagi shook her head. "School's been out for an hour Tokiya. No one could find you on the way home. Recca said it was probably because of what happened with Fuuko."

Mikagami had the urge to say something about Recca, but he bit his tongue. Instead he stood up and looked at Yanagi for a minute. "I don't think you're going to leave, are you?"

Yanagi shook her head. "If you want me to I will. But . . . something is wrong Tokiya. Is this because—"

"No." Mikagami lied, swiftly. "I just wanted to visit her, that's all."

"Oh." Yanagi responded. "Because Fuuko has been acting strangely too."

Mikagami couldn't think of a reply, so he remained quiet. 

"Princess! The kids want to read ReccaMan 8! C'mon!" A familiar voice called from over the green hill. Yanagi turned and looked in the direction Recca's voice had come from, before returning to Mikagami for a brief moment.

"If you want, you don't have to kiss Fuuko in the play. I'll understand."

Mikagami's head rose and he looked into Yanagi's green eyes. Those eyes seemed to be filled with a swirl of emotions that made even the cold swordsman melt. He heaved a sigh and slowly shook his head from side to side. "No. It's fine. Don't change your script."

Yanagi smiled; a very broad smile and then she left. Eventually he could hear Recca and the children cheer as Yanagi regrouped with them at the gate. He turned back to his sister's grave as his eye twitched. He had always believed that when he had a problem, Mifuyu found a way to give him an answer. Was this the answer she had chosen to give him? The answer was to kiss Fuuko again? Sometimes sisters can be very annoying.

_If you say so . . ._

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**More Rant**: Meh. This one was much shorter. I could have continued it with Ganko a bit, but I didn't feel like it.

On the 15th I'm going back to Missouri. So the next chapter may not be up till the 17th or so. I'll try to have one done tomorrow, but its Katie's birthday and I may not be able to. Just a fair warning. 

**Review Replies**

**Yuuhi Amano**

Indeed it is starting! Or it already has. Heh. To-Fuuness will rule the day. I promise ye that. 

**Kana**

Wooo! I'm glad you like it. Makes me feel good when I know people enjoy my stories.  
And you're from Japan? That's really cool! I want to go to Japan sometime. It'd be fun.

**Lime**

Well I promise I'll be adding more very soon, and as always tis nice to see people liking it.

**Marisha**

Yes. A cookie. Cookies are good. Meh. Now I'm hungry! Heh.

Well folks, I'll update soon! Promise! 

Thanks for the reviews!


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